Good times roll at 'True Blood' panel

The folks from Bon Temps, La., lived up to their town's name Friday, as fans had a very good time at the Comic-Con panel for HBO's True Blood.

The stars and fans staged a lovefest for the show, a wild ride of a story about vampires, werewolves, fairies and other supernatural creatures who live side-by-side with the human population. Witches have been added to the mix in Season 4.

Much of the panel's talk was punctuated by loud cheers. The biggest recipient was Alexander Skarsgard, who plays vampire Eric, and the high pitch suggested he was especially admired by the women in the crowd.

The audience seemed mixed about whether telepathic waitress Sookie (Anna Paquin) and vampire Bill (Stephen Moyer), longtime lovers who split up last season, should get back together.

"I think it's going to be a pretty complicated way back," Paquin said.

She has enjoyed how her character has developed into a more complex figure. "Part of her is a very innocent girl and part of her is one that has dirty vampire sex."

Blood is based on Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse novels, but it has developed its own storylines, too, as the seasons progress.

"It's less this-season-is–based-on-this-book, that-season-is-based-on-that-book," executive producer Alan Ball said. That makes the show less predictable for those who have read the novels.

With numerous fourth season episodes still to come, Ball didn't want to give away major plot points, but he threw a few bones to the crowd.

"There will be a moment where Sookie and Eric are together in the shower. It may be weirder and dirtier" than what happens in the book, he said. "It may not be exactly what happens in the book."

He offered a couple of tidbits about Season 5. Viewers will see how Pam (Kristin Bauer van Straten) was "made" - turned into a vampire – by Eric and he and his writers are "doing lots of research on different supernatural creatures we may not have seen before."

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